Virginia Governor Ralph Northam's explanation for his past behavior from photos that have surfaced this week was unacceptable. As it is now, dawning black face in 1984 was offensive. As The Washington Post's Eugene Robinson clearly explained, everyone didn't do that at that time. It was offensive in 1984, and Rich Lowry's explanation that people's entire lives shouldn't be judged for moments of stupidity or offensiveness doesn't hold up. Mr. Northam's statements in which he first apologized and then denied that it was not him in the photograph show that he is not truly contrite. Also in his press conference yesterday he explained that he was in a dance contest in San Antonio that same year wearing black face to imitate Michael Jackson and his moonwalk dance step. This admission damaged his credibility even further essentially making things even worse. Chuck Todd touched on the fact that Mr. Northam was familiar with the difficulty of removing shoe polish from one's face, which illustrates that he has some experience with this.
As the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Karen Bass (D-CA) stated, Mr. Northam hasn't been honest. This is very clear. Mr. Northam explained that remaining in office would be best so that the conversation on race can progress. However, Ms. Bass disagreed and that if he wants to continue the conversation, he should do so while not in office, to which Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) agreed. As Donald McEachin (D-VA) said flatly, there is nothing that Mr. Northam can do at this point to correct this and that he should step down, especially in the 400th year anniversary of Africans being brought to Jamestown, Virginia and enslaved. If Mr. Northam wants to be a leader, he should do what a real leader would and resign his office, or he will be the 'lonely pariah' as Hallie Jackson described.
This brings us to Senator Brown's statement about Mr. Trump that he is a racist president, to which Chuck Todd interrupted him to explain such a strong charge. However, Senator Brown made the case citing Mr. Trump's questioning of Barack Obama's citizenship and his actions during his business life and housing discrimination in New York City, of which Mr. Trump was found guilty. Not to mention that Mr. Trump's Charlottesville statements and less us not forget the Central Park Five rape case and how he called for the death penalty even after the men were exonerated. And to cap it off, there is the wall he wants on the southern border, which is rooted in his bigoted views.
Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) said that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) were not negotiating in good faith with the president inasmuch as they will not concede any money for a border wall. However, as much as Senator Scott said he wants a fix for TPS (citizens with temporary protective status) and the 'Dreamers,' these two issues are none starters for the president who will be accused by his base of granting amnesty to these groups.
As Chuck Todd pointed out, the president had these deals on his desk and he walked away from them so how can the Democrats be sure that he is negotiating in good faith and won't just blow up any made deal on a whim? Or the president can do what he usually does and falsely claim that 'we're building wall.' Hallie Jackson explained that it's a matter of semantics, but if you listen to the president speak, it makes you wonder about whatever happened to grammar. If the negotiations fall apart, the president will possibly declare a national emergency, which as Mr. Lowry described as just another way to lose, to which this column agrees but it would be a matter of all of us losing, not just the president.
Panel: Maria Teresa Kumar, CEO Voto Latino, Hallie Jackson, NBC News; Eugene Robinson, The Washington Post; Rich Lowry, The National Review; Mark Leibovich, The New York Times Magazine
A couple more things...
Senator Rick Scott said that with regard to Venezuela, no options should be taken off the table. However, U.S. military intervention is NOT the right course of action for the Administration to take. However, with the Trump Administration under such pressure from all of the its questionably ethical conduct (understating it), there remains the concern for a wag-the-dog decision. Not good.
Senator Brown mentioned Medicare for citizens at age 50. That's a great proposal.
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